The Bulletproof Musician

For many toddlers, performing seems to come naturally and easily, whether it's an impromptu dance performance in the living room or comedy routine from the back seat of the car.

But as we get older, we can start to get self-conscious and worry about negative judgment or what other people will think.

Which makes us want to avoid performing. Which only makes performing seem scarier, gives us fewer opportunities to practice getting better at performing, and could lead to more negative experiences on stage, and more avoidance.

So how do we interuppt this cycle? if we're uncomfortable playing for an audience, how can we practice performing and build up more confidence and positive performance experiences? Short of just doing it anyway and hoping for the best?

A 2014 study about young readers (it's more relevant than you might think) may provide some clues!

Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:

A Gentle Way to Help Kids (or Adults) Build Performance Confidence?

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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

Ever find yourself being distracted in the practice room by random thoughts and worries?

Like worrying about all the other music that you need to learn. Or the entrance you missed in the last rehearsal. Or whether you're prepared for the upcoming SAT's.

Like in-laws who live across the street, these worrisome thoughts like to spontaneously pop into our personal mental space at the most inconvenient times, and make it difficult to focus effectively on the thing we're actually doing in that moment.

And there is an emotional cost too, as worrying can make us more stressed, anxious, and tense.

So...is there anything we can do to reduce these worries and get better at single-tasking and focusing on the thing in front of us at the moment?

Get all the nerdy details right here:
A Simple Strategy for Reducing Worries and Practicing With More Focus

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

When I praise the family dog for doing a good thing, I'm not sure if it matters what words I say to him. He seems equally excited and happily wags his tail whether I say "good boy!" or "bad doggie!" as long as I use the same tone of voice.

Of course, people are different, and the words we use do matter in the feedback we offer.

So if we're trying to build up a student's confidence, and embolden them to take on new challenges, what kind of praise works best?

A 2014 study suggests that not all praise has the same effect. And that even if well-intentioned, one particular type of praise can backfire and even heighten a student's fear of failure. 😳

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

I think we would all say that we value creativity and would enjoy having more creative students. But is this actually reflected in our actions?

Research suggests that we may not be as appreciative and supportive of creative students as we'd like to think. Wait...how can that be?

Get all the nerdy details and this week's practice hack here:
Do You Have a Bias Against Creative Students (Without Realizing It)?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

You know that famous quote attributed to Debussy? The one that goes something like "Music is the space between the notes."?

I don't know about you, but I was certainly guilty of compress things and rushing through these spaces on many an occasion...

And of course, there's an awful lot of music within each note as well. Which I also tended to rush through and pay too little attention to. (And where was I in such a rush to get to? No idea. Maybe the end of the piece so I could get off stage? 🤣)

This might seem like a really abstract concept at first. So it's the sort of thing that can be easy to push to the back burner, because there are always so many notes to learn on your music stand. But paying more attention to the life within each note can make practicing and performing a much more engaging and gratifying experience. And improve your sense of rhythm and phrasing as well.

In other words, it's worth keeping on the front burner, even if just at a simmer.

Umm...ok, but what does this mean or look like exactly?

In today's episode, violist Steven Tenenbom (Orion Quartet, Curtis, Juilliard, Mannes, Bard) explains, and illustrates what this means using concrete musical examples.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Steven Tenenbom: On Rhythm, Phrasing, and the Life Within Each Note

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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
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The legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti famously had a quirky backstage ritual that he needed to complete before he could go on stage.

Apparently, he would wander around backstage, scanning the floor until he found a bent nail, which would serve as his good luck charm for that performance.

It sounds like a silly sort of thing to do, and it’s hard to imagine Pavarotti needing much in the way of luck, but could this have been more helpful than we think?

A 2010 study provides some answers and insights into whether good luck charms and superstitious rituals could help enhance your next performance or audition.

Spoiler alert - Pavarotti might have been onto something!

Of course, there’s more to performing optimally under pressure than good luck charms and superstitious too. There are actually a handful of concrete, learnable skills - like anxiety regulation, attention control, grounded confidence, and retrieval-oriented practice - that can help make performing funner and a much more positive experience, even if you’ve struggled with this for years.

If you’d like to develop these skills in 2024, that will be the focus of the upcoming live, online, 4-week Performance Psych Essentials class. Registration ends today, Sunday, Jan. 21st (2024), at 11:59pm Pacific time. Get the class dates and details here: Register for Performance Psych Essentials

But if now’s not the right time for a class like this, that’s ok too! In the meantime, you can get all the nerdy details about this week’s study and practice hack right here:
Can Good Luck Charms and Superstitious Rituals Enhance Performance?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

The other day, I had to parallel park in a crowded neighborhood with narrow streets. I’m usually pretty good about getting it right the first time, but this time, I was feeling a bit of pressure from the antsy drivers lined up behind me, who couldn’t pass until I finished parking.

You can probably imagine what happened next, but the gist is that I bonked the curb and had to reset and do it all over as everyone behind me watched and (presumably) rolled their eyes at this doofus who can’t park.

I just experienced “choking.” And I’m assuming you’ve had some experience with this phenomenon too, whether it’s parking or performing.

It’s tempting to assume that we can prevent choking by simply practicing more. But it turns out it’s a little more interesting than that, and there are several key skills that go into performing your best under pressure. There’s retrieval-oriented practice. Anxiety regulation skills. And learning how to get into a performance-enhancing headspace, and stay focused on the right things on stage too.

(BTW, if you’d like to develop these skills in 2024, that will be the focus of the upcoming live, online, 4-week Performance Psych Essentials class. Registration begins Sunday, Jan. 14 and runs through Sunday, Jan. 21. Get the class dates and details here: Register for Performance Psych Essentials)

Then again, there’s a 2013 study, which suggests that a simple 30-second performance hack could prevent you from choking too. Hmm...could it really be that easy?

Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:
A Simple Technique to Prevent Choking (Which Sounds Like it Couldn't Possibly Work)

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

In the previous episode we looked at at study which suggested that having goals is good - but we’re more likely to achieve our goals if we write them down and create action plans as well (you can check that out here if you missed it).

Still, whether we write them down or not, New Year’s resolutions and our most well-intentioned plans can start to go off the rails pretty quickly.

So if you’ve found yourself slipping already, know that it’s not just you!

And there’s no need to beat yourself up about this either. Because in all likelihood it’s not you, your commitment, or your willpower that’s the issue. It might just be that there’s a small (but often-overlooked) step missing from your goal-setting process that could make all the difference.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
WOOP: A Better Way to Set Goals?

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'Tis the season for New Year resolutions. Which means your inbox and news feeds are probably overflowing with articles about effective goal-setting and how to form new habits.

So I thought it might be best to keep things simple, and focus on just one question.

How important is it to write down your goals?

Get all the nerdy details here:
How Important Is It to Write Down Your Goals?

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

It's not great to make mistakes on stage, but how big a deal are mistakes when you're learning something new?

Is it best to avoid them right from Day 1?

Or is it ok to set the bar a little lower in the early days of learning a new skill?

A 2011 study tests out two different approaches to learning - setting the bar high vs. setting the bar low - and provides some clues on which approach might be better for us (as well as our students).

Get all the nerdy details here: How Important Is “Perfect Practice” When Learning Something New?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

In last week's episode with clarinetist Jason Shafer, we chatted about the value of focusing on our strengths when performing - and not just our weaknesses (you can check that out here if you missed it).

And it turns out there is some research on the benefits of identifying and using our "signature strengths." If you're wondering what exactly the benefits might be, what focusing on your strengths might look like, and how exactly you can identify your signature strengths, I have a couple studies (and tips) for you this week that dig into this a bit!

You can get all the nerdy details, and take a short assessment that will help you identify your signature strengths, right here:
Why It's Important to Identify (and Use) Your "Signature Strengths"

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Is it possible to truly rid yourself of performance anxiety? Is practicing less as you get closer to a performance really better? How do you get past doubts and other mental roadblocks when returning from a significant playing injury? Is it a better use of time to focus on our strengths or our weaknesses? Why is it so important for us to take lessons with or play for musicians who play instrument other than our own?

If you’ve ever tried Googling questions like this for an answer, today’s episode is for you. 😅

Colorado Symphony principal clarinetist Jason Shafer has enjoyed an active performing and teaching career, but two years ago began pursuing a master’s degree in performance psychology seeking to integrate these concepts more deeply into his teaching and performing. He joins me today to share some insights on how we can all be healthier practicers and more confident and courageous performers.

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

When you put a lot of time and energy into preparing for something that’s important to you, and things don’t go the way you hoped, it’s pretty natural to feel deflated or discouraged afterwards. And you might even have difficulty getting back into the flow of things, or finding the confidence to try again.

Heck, we can experience some version of this even a spectator. Believe it or not, researchers have found that we eat more unhealthily (e.g. 10% more calories and 16% more saturated fat than normal) the day after our favorite team has a tough loss, and we eat more healthily on days after a big win (5% fewer calories and 9% less saturated fat than normal).

But while some athletes respond to a subpar performances with more subpar performances, others bounce back and perform even better.

How do they do this?

A 2003 study provides some important clues. Get all the nerdy details here:

A Mindset Shift That Can Help You Respond to Setbacks With Even Better Performances

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

The winter holidays are just around the corner, which means family, festivities, food, and lots of good things. But it also means end-of-semester projects and grading, holiday recitals and gigs and performances, shopping, travel, cooking, hosting, and many other things that can leave us feeling drained and emotionally exhausted.

And if you're already feeling kind of drained post-Thanksgiving, it can be exhausting just thinking about getting through the next month.

The good news is that there's a simple, quick, 3-step exercise, that in a week or two, could reduce that feeling of emotional exhaustion and even increase your happiness. And better yet, these positive changes could last for up to a year - even after you've stopped doing the exercise!

It's been tested successfully in stressful healthcare settings with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers, so there's a good chance it'll be helpful in whatever stressful circumstances you find yourself in as well.

Get all the nerdy details here: Reduce Burnout With a Simple Three-Step Exercise

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

In last week's episode, we looked at a study which tested a particular sound for its ability to decrease our anxiety. (Which you can revisit here if you missed it.)

I figured we might as well stay on that theme, so this week I have a study which compared several different types of breathing, to see if there was a particular way of breathing that might reduce our stress more than others.

Turns out not all breathing techniques have the same effect! So whether you’re looking for a way to regulate your stress before a performance or keep your cool amidst family drama during the Thanksgiving holidays, I think you’ll find this week’s breathing technique to be a very handy addition to your emotional regulation toolkit. 😅

Get all the nerdy details here: The Best Way to Breathe for Reducing Stress?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

Managing pre-performance nerves on the day of a performance or audition can be a real challenge. And it can get even more difficult backstage as the moment draws nearer.

Should we study the score some more? Listen to music? Read a book? Try to meditate or  do some deep breathing? Color or doodle? Do some expressive writing? Visualize?

The best answer is that it's probably a combination of things that's most effective, but a recent pair of studies suggest that listening to one thing might really help to calm you down and put you in a better headspace.

Get all the nerdy details here:
The Best Thing to Listen to Backstage for Reducing Anxiety?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

In an ideal world, we’d be building confidence in the practice room from one day to the next, but sometimes that can be easier said than done. It’s easy for the voice in our head to get very judge-y and negative and make us feel like we’re playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Where every time we think we’ve solved a problem, a new one pops up to take its place.

Whether it’s getting through challenging passages that have become “a thing,” troubleshooting intonation in an ensemble without judgment, or making sure you’re not accidentally reinforcing bad habits when practicing slowly, bassoonist Benjamin Kamins has seen it or worked through it in his years as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist, educator, and Alexander Technique teacher.

In this month’s interview, you’ll hear lots of anecdotes and tips for overcoming some of the common challenges we often encounter in the practice room and on stage.

Get all the nerdy details (and transcript) here:
Benjamin Kamins: On Self-Judgment, Slow Practice, and Reed-Making

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In many areas of our life (surgery, aviation, and dealing with bedbugs are a few things that come to mind), I think it’s fair to say that having really high standards is a very good thing.

Intuitively, you’d think that the same would be true when it comes to learning and performing an instrument as well.

But as you’ll see in today’s study, that’s not always the case. As in, there are times when relaxing or lowering our standards can actually lead to better learning, and better performance too.

How can that be?! Yeah, I know. This all sounds wrong, right?

Get all the nerdy details here: Why Lowering Standards Can Sometimes Promote Better Learning

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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

Other than putting our instruments down, what should we be doing during our practice breaks to mentally recharge our batteries and prepare ourselves best for the next chunk of practice?

Watch cute animal videos? Take a quick nap? Grab some coffee?

Is there such a thing as a "best" practice break activity? Maybe not, but there's some research in the creativity and stress-reduction domains which all point at one particular activity that could be worth experimenting with during your next practice break.

Get all the nerdy details here:
“Brain Fatigue” and the Best Thing to Do on Practice Breaks

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

3-time Olympic diving coach Jeff Huber once said that he would get really excited when one of his athletes would approach him and say "Hey coach, I've been thinking..."

He explained that this phrase was often a sign that they were about to take a significant leap forward in their development as a diver (you can listen to his podcast episode here if you missed it).

Of course, it's not the words themselves that are so important, but an important learning process implied by this phrase that makes all the difference.

Unfortunately, it's an aspect of practice that we often skip. Heck, you may not even think of it as an important part of practice. But including this in your daily routine could make a big difference in your growth and development.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Why Reflection Should Be Part of Your Daily Practice Routine

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

Have you ever wished audiences (or your teacher) could hear the awesome private version of yourself that you hear in the practice room, instead of the slightly less awesome public version of yourself that appears on stage?

Sure, nerves can play a role in this, but part of the problem is how we practice. There's a tendency to strive for too much consistency in the practice room - which sounds like the right thing to do, but can actually be counterproductive. I know that seems bonkers, but we'll explore a couple studies today that will illustrate why aiming for too many "perfect" repetitions in a row can paradoxically lead to less consistency and accuracy on stage. And you'll learn what we should be doing more of instead.

Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:

​How to Practice for More Consistent Performances

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

If you’re reading this, I’m guessing that you have pretty high standards of performance in at least one area of your life. I mean, you probably wouldn’t be interested in a performance psychology podcast if you didn’t, no? 😅

I'm also guessing that you've been accused, or praised, for being a perfectionist at some point or another. Maybe even both - because I think society sends us a lot of mixed messages about perfectionism.

On one hand, I think we know that it doesn’t make us look great to humblebrag about our perfectionism, and claim it as our biggest weakness in job interviews.

But on the other hand, we often get a pat on the back for our perfectionistic tendencies, when people marvel at our “attention to detail,” or how “dedicated” or “diligent” or “committed” we are.

It’s easy to confuse perfectionism with having high standards, and assume that being a perfectionist is a good thing in the practice room. But it turns out that perfectionism could push us to practice in a way that not only makes practicing less fun, but inhibits our learning, and could even make us less effective and compelling musicians.

So why exactly is “perfect practice” a problem? And what’s the more effective alternative?

Get all the nerdy details, and links to studies and practice strategies referenced in the episode right here:

​On the Perils of “Perfect Practice”: Christine Carter & Ellen Hendriksen

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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

A few weeks ago, violinist Nigel Kennedy was quoted as saying that today's young musicians are more "clone-like," noting that while so many have phenomenal technical fluency, this may have come at the expense of musical communication.

This was in the context of a larger (and intriguing) conversation about how funding in music is distributed, and how this might be part of the issue, but regardless, I was curious to see if there might be any studies on this particular issue.

Though I didn't find any data on this in the realm of classical music, I did find a 2012 study that explored this in the context of popular music. Which had some pretty interesting findings that I suspect could be related to classical music as well.

Click below for all the nerdy details, and how this could be related to your daily practice: Are Today’s Musicians More “Clone-Like?"

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I often get questions about specific topics or issues that haven't already been covered in  a podcast episode. Today's episode is devoted to a question that has come up a fair bit.

Specifically, it's about staying focused in the practice room. And in particular, for those who have been diagnosed with ADHD.

The study compares a group of college students who practice for 80 repetitions with a group that practices for 160. The main question being - how much additional benefit does practicing twice as much have when it comes to speed and accuracy?

And does this apply equally to students who have been diagnosed with ADHD and those who are non-ADHD?

Turns out the findings apply to both ADHD and non-ADHD populations. Click below for all the nerdy details:
Why Practicing Too Much Could Actually Increase Errors

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

If you've watched any sports - especially golf, basketball, and tennis - you've probably noticed that many athletes have a pre-shot, pre-free throw, or pre-serve ritual that they go through before performing that skill.

Many musicians have rituals too, even if it's as simple as wiping your hands on your pants or hearing the opening of a piece to get the tempo in mind before you begin playing.

Athletes' routines tend to be very consistent, and don't change from game to game or shot to shot. But how important is it to keep your routine consistent? Does it matter how long the routine takes, or whether the ingredients of your routine remain the same from one performance to the next?

Get all the nerdy details here:
How Consistent Do Pre-Performance Routines Need to Be?

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

At some point or another, you've probably come across learning styles theory. Which suggests that some of us are visual learners, others are auditory learners, or kinesthetic learners, etc., and that we learn best if we are taught in a way that aligns with our learning style.

This makes a lot of sense, and feels pretty true as well - but what does the research say?

A 2009 review of the literature gives us some answers. And, spoiler alert, basically there's no evidence to support this theory. In other words, learning styles theory seems to be a myth. 😳 Wait...what?!

For all the nerdy details and links to strategies that do work, check out the full article:
The Surprising Truth about Learning Styles

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

You know those moments when you're practicing, and suddenly wonder what time the 49ers game is tonight? Or if so-and-so returned your email? Or if it's going to rain tomorrow? Or what you should eat for lunch?

Staying focused for extended periods of time can be a real challenge. And our phones dinging and buzzing every other minute certainly doesn't make this any easier. But airplane mode should solve that problem, right?

Well...according to a 2017 study, maybe not! But that's ok - there are some simple things we can do to make sure we can devote as much of our brainpower as possible to practicing, with as little cognitive "leakage" as possible.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Difficulty Staying Focused While Practicing? Why “Airplane Mode” May Not Be Enough

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

You know how some practice sessions can feel really good? Where it seems like you're making lots of improvement? But then the next day, things don't sound much better?

And then sometimes, you have what feels like a crappy day in the practice room, where nothing seems to be improving...but then the next day, you sound so much better?

A 2009 study provides some clues on why this is, what's happening, and how you can tweak your practice for more lasting improvement from one day to the next.

Get all the nerdy details here:
A Hack to Boost Your Practice Efficiency

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• Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content.
• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
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About a month ago, we heard from violinist Sumina Studer and violist Drew Forde (click here if you missed it), who shared tips and insights on how they built their social media following (about half a million followers combined).

Today, in Part 2 of this two-part miniseries, we’ll hear from cellist Ken Kubota (160k+) and bassoonist Morgan Davison (35k+), who highlight some of the more meaningful, but less-obvious benefits of becoming a social media content creator. Benefits like improved practice motivation and efficiency, as well as more confidence in performance.

You’ll also hear about some early mistakes that were made (plus solutions), dealing with imposter syndrome, and more.

If you’re wondering if it’s worth dipping your toes into the social media waters, or whether it’s worth continuing your efforts, I think you’ll enjoy this episode.

Get all the nerdy details here:
On Building an Audience in 2023: Ken Kubota & Morgan Davison

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Like many other young kids, I never really thought twice about memorizing music. In the course of working on a piece, it usually just happened.

Of course, at some point, memorizing music becomes more difficult for everyone. The repertoire gets more challenging, you start having lots of repertoire to learn at the same time, and performance deadlines don't leave you with as much time as you'd like.

And this is when you probably began memorizing music on purpose. Intentionally. Using specific memorization strategies (a few linked below).

But this leads to a related question that I don't think we often ask. Which is, when should we start the process of memorizing a new piece? Once it's mostly in your fingers? When you can play it at tempo? A month before the performance? Two?

A 2002 study of singers provides some clues.

Get all the nerdy details here:
When Is the Best Time to Start Memorizing a New Piece?

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Whether it's sticking to a regular practice routine, studying a little bit every day instead of cramming the night before an exam, or eating more healthily, I think it's pretty universal to wish that we had a little more self-discipline.

Because that's the key to doing these things consistently, right?

Well...what if there were an easier way to avoid temptations and distractions? One that didn't require as much willpower? And made it easier to practice, or go to the gym, or steer clear of TikTok when doing homework?

A 2016 study provides some insights on how to work towards your goals more easily. With less willpower required.

Get all the nerdy details here:
The Lazy Person’s Guide to Mastering Self-Control

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Whether it's changing your diet, investing your money, or practicing, it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you're doing it "right" because meaningful change usually happens gradually over time.

I guess in an ideal world, we'd be able to pick a strategy, hop into a time machine, and see how it pans out in the future. And then go back to the present, pick another strategy, peek at the future again, and see which worked better.

But for now, there's a 2001 study that basically does the time travel thing for us. Where it compares the practice behaviors of the best free throw shooters and that of the worst free throw shooters to see if they do anything different. 

Spoiler alert, there is a difference. Two important differences that we can apply to music practice.

It's actually one of the specific things we're going to work on in the live practice "bootcamp" that starts this week (details ​here​). 

But whether you plan to join in or not, do give this week's practice hack a try and see what you think. This is one of the most fundamental aspects of effective practice, and an approach to practicing that can completely transform how you feel about practicing - especially if you've always had a sort of tolerate/hate relationship with practicing. 😅

Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:

​Two Things Experts Do Differently When Practicing

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So…everyone (and their dog 😅) seems to have a social media presence nowadays - whether on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, etc. But how important is it for musicians today to embrace social media, really?

Can growing an online audience have tangible benefits to one’s career? Or is the reality different from how it appears from the outside?

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a sizable online following, and whether it’s worth taking the leap, I think you’ll enjoy today’s episode with violinist Sumina Studer (340k followers) and violist Drew Forde (160k followers).

Spoiler alert: it turns out that the experience can be a nuanced mix of positives and negatives, and be different for each person too.

Get all the nerdy details here:
On Building an Audience in 2023: Sumina Studer & Drew Forde

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Effective practice isn't always easy or fun.

But a 2010 study reveals a psychological hack that could make longer and more challenging practice sessions, rehearsals, or lessons feel easier and more appealing than shorter and less effortful practice sessions. Which sounds totally backwards, but could come in handy if you have students who have a difficult time getting themselves to practice. Or if you have difficulty getting yourself to practice for that matter! 😅

Get all the nerdy details here:
How to Make Practicing Feel Less Like a Chore

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Ever notice how critical the voice in your head can be? That voice can make us feel pretty crummy at times - but is it also responsible for pushing us to strive for better?

If we had been less self-abusive and more self-compassionate along the way, would we be where we are today? Or is it possible that we would have advanced even further, if we had been a little kinder to ourselves?

There has been increased research attention in the area of self-compassion in recent years. A recurring question amongst high-performers is whether it's "safe" to be more self-compassionate, or if greater self-compassion could lead to a drop in one's competitive edge.

I have a study for you today (Breines & Chen, 2012) that provides some clues to this question. And if you're curious how self-compassionate you are, there's also a short test you can take that will provide an answer!

Get all the nerdy details here:
Self-Compassion: Does It Help or Hurt Performance?

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Have you ever studied with a teacher who encouraged you to sing during your practice?

There are lots of reasons for this, but aside from doing it in a lesson when my teacher made me sing in front of them, I never integrated any singing into my daily practice. It just felt silly, and I wasn't sold on the benefits.

Looking back, of course, I would have given it more of a chance. And if you need a little help convincing yourself, a 2017 study and 2021 study provide a bit of evidence suggesting this may be a worthwhile addition to your daily routine.

Get all the nerdy details here: Why Singing Could Enhance Your Daily Practice

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When you to students practicing, there's one thing that is often conspicuously absent.

Silence.

You'll typically hear a good bit of repetition - but not a lot of quiet time or space between repetitions.

And why does this matter? Well, studies have found that too little space between repetitions - or too short an "inter-trial interval" can actually inhibit learning.

So...is there an optimal length of time to inject between repetitions?

Get all the nerdy details here:
For More Effective Practice, Try…Longer…Pauses

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We’ve all probably (at least secretly) enjoyed watching shows like American Idol or The Voice at one point or another.

But what has your experience (or that of your students) been as a participant in competitions? Whether it be small local competitions, or a regional, national or international competitions, have your experiences been largely positive? Or not so positive?

You might have some strong feelings about competitions, and whether your students should enter competitions or not. And so in this month’s conversation, I chat with both a researcher and a musician who can speak to different aspects of this question, and help you better prepare yourself, your students, and their parents for the music competition experience.

Get all the nerdy details in the full episode below (there’s also a transcript with timestamps if you’d like to jump right to a few key points of interest):

George Waddell: On the Hidden Consequences of Music Competitions

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Whether it's running through a piece in your head to see if it's memorized, or imagining different fingering options while taking a practice break, you've probably used mental imagery to supplement your physical practice at one point or another.

Research in this area suggests that mental practice can indeed enhance learning and performance beyond physical practice alone, but how do we know if we're doing it right?

A 2015 study (Debarnot et al.) identified two things that boosted the effectiveness of participants' mental practice pretty substantially. And it wasn't anything crazy that would require much time or effort. Just a couple simple tweaks that you could use to level up your mental practice this week.

Get all the nerdy details here: How to Make Mental Practice Even More Effective

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Whether it's manipulating our air, making embouchure adjustments, or learning to use the weight of our arm to produce a beautiful sound, we spend a lot of time working really hard to get things just right.

We ask for feedback and suggestions from our teachers, we watch YouTube videos of our favorite musicians, and get tips from instructional videos on the correct way to perform a skill. All of which are invaluable parts of the learning process.

But there's another approach, that we rarely (if ever) utilize, which may be even more effective than the traditional approach. And what strategy is that?

Intentionally getting things wrong.

Like, producing a thin, weak sound instead of a clear, full, resonant sound. Or a harsh, gritty attack, instead of a smooth, velvety start.

Turns out, practicing the wrong way may lead to better learning and enhanced performance than only practicing the right way.

Get all the nerdy details here: The Superiority of Intentionally Imperfect Practice?

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Have you ever watched your favorite musician perform, and wondered what goes through their head on stage?

Like, what are they thinking about? Do they ever worry? What do they worry about? Is playing as easy as it looks? Or do they have bad days too? Does it ever get easier? How do they deal with criticism or bad reviews or even the critic in their own head? How similar is their experience in performance to ours?

As you may have heard, renowned pianist Menahem Pressler passed away last weekend at the age of 99. A founding member of the Beaux Arts Trio, his performing career spanned over seven decades, and he taught generations of pianists who have gone on to hold teaching positions around the world and win prizes in all of the major competitions.

I got to know Mr. Pressler a tiny bit during my time at Indiana University, as he was my wife's teacher, and kindly included me in studio parties and events. He was also curious and encouraging of my interests in psychology at a time when I had no idea how things would pan out, which I always appreciated.

So in the summer of 2012, I reached out to see if I might ask him some questions about practicing and performing. He was very open about his mental experience on stage, his own doubts and fears at various points in his life, and what success and failure meant to him, as well as the more practical aspects of how he prepares for performance.

I hope you find it as insightful and inspiring a conversation as I did.

Note: This episode was recorded over the telephone/Skype, and I’ve done my best to clean up the audio, but if you would like a transcript, you can download one at:
https://bulletproofmusician.com/menahem-pressler-on-following-your-heart/

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If you play a string instrument, you know that the strings you use can make a big difference in how your instrument sounds and feels. But how can you find the combination of strings that makes your instrument sound its best?

Which type of core material produces the type of sound you're going for, as well as the best response? What are the benefits of the different kinds of wraps? What gauge or tension makes your instrument speak best? What mix of string brands will result in the most balanced sound across all the strings?

It can be a time-consuming and expensive process to try each string that's out there. So I thought I'd ask a couple experts what they recommend.

In today's episode you'll hear from a string manufacturer (Markus Lawrenson from D'Addario) and a luthier (Jesse Maschmeyer), who will share time and money-saving tips and insights on how to find the right strings for your level, your playing style, the demands of the kind of playing/performing you do, and of course, your instrument.

If you've been wanting to get a little more out of your instrument, this episode will give you a few new ideas to try!

Get all the nerdy details here: How to Find the Perfect Strings for You and Your Instrument

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It's often said that failure is the best teacher. Or at least, that failure is a better teacher than success.

But how exactly are we supposed to learn from failure without getting discouraged?

And why does success get such a bad rap as a teacher, anyhow? What if the problem is that we haven't been reflecting on our successes in the right way?

A 2014 study provides some clues on how to engage in a systematic post-performance review process that will help you learn better from both successful and unsuccessful performances or auditions.

Get all the nerdy details here: How Exactly to Learn From Failures (And Successes Too)

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Intuitively, I think we approach teaching with the goal of helping students avoid failure. So it's natural to step in if we see students floundering about and approaching a problem the wrong way.

But what if we are hindering students' learning by stepping in too soon? Like stepping in too soon to help with spotting someone at the gym, or helping them too much on that last repetition.

We certainly don't want anyone to get hurt or discouraged, of course! But a 2011 study suggests that too much guidance and instruction in the learning process can lead to the illusion of better performance at first - but significantly "shallower" learning and worse performance in the long run.

Get all the nerdy details here: “Productive Failure”: Why Early Floundering Leads to Better Learning

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Improvisation has not traditionally been part of most young classical musicians' training. But should it be?

Research suggests that the answer may be yes, and that there are a number of benefits that improvisation could provide. Not just to our playing, but to our mental state on stage as well.

Read the full article for all the nerdy details:
Why Improvisation Should Be Part of Every Young Musician's Training

But...if you're new to improvising, where does one begin?

Well, whether you're a complete newbie, or an experienced improviser who's been frustrated by inconsistencies or feeling inhibited under pressure, have your instrument handy and block off 45-60 minutes on Wednesday, April 26th, from 2pm-3pm Eastern (calculate that in your timezone here).

Violinist (and childhood Suzuki buddy) Christian Howes will be teaching a live, free, play-along class where he'll share three approaches to improvisation that can work for you, and explain why other methods may not have worked before. You'll also learn (and experience) the difference between learning harmony and doing improvisation. And you'll get to do lots of playing the whole time (muted, of course)!

Sign up for the free improv session here: Free, live, play-along improvisation workshop with Christian Howes

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We know it can be really helpful to do practice performances or mock auditions in advance of a high-pressure performance. However, it can be really difficult to simulate the nerves and pressure of a real performance or audition. Because for some, a mock audition feels pretty high-stress. While for others, the experience doesn't even come close.

However, there is some research in this area, and a couple studies provide insights on how to create more pressure in mocks and practice performances, and better prepare you for the live experience. Turns out some methods work better than others.

Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:

​Two Ways to Simulate Performance Pressure (and Which Works Best)

Also, if you've been looking for some new tools for enhancing the effectiveness of your practice or performance preparation, and would like to do more performance practice alongside a supportive cohort of other musicians, you may be interested in the live, 5-week Performance Psych Essentials class that begins next weekend. Get all the details here: Performance Psych Essentials

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If you’ve been a listener of this podcast for any period of time, you’ve probably already been influenced by today’s guest without realizing it - namely, performance science researcher Aaron Williamon.

Aaron's research has produced influential insights in many different facets of a musician's life, from effective practice and performance preparation, to managing nerves, optimizing focus, musician health, technology and recording, and even the importance of how we present ourselves visually on stage.

Whether you’re interested in practicing more effectively, looking for ways to tweak your preparation for an upcoming audition, or wondering how to help your students have a more positive and empowering experience on stage, I’ll bet my next box of Weetabix that you’ll take away some new details from today’s episode that will change some facet of your practice in the week ahead. The episode will also make you think more generally about the role (and value) of music in society, if you’ve had questions about that in recent years…

Get all the nerdy details and this week's practice hacks below (there’s also a transcript with timestamps if you’d like to jump right to a few key points of interest):

​Aaron Williamon: On Becoming a Better, Happier, and Healthier Musician

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We spend a lot of time and energy avoiding mistakes in the practice room and on stage. And we work super hard to make sure our students avoid doing things the "wrong way" too.

But what if that's actually holding us back?

A 2008 study suggests that if you do things the "wrong way" the right way, you might actually be able to accelerate learning pretty dramatically. Wait, what?!

Get all the nerdy details here (and be sure to read the full study - or at least the Discussion section - for key details on how to get the most out of this counterintuitive strategy): How Intentional Errors Could Accelerate Learning

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Ever notice how it's easy to be optimistic about an audition or performance a month or two out, but things feel much different when the big day is now just one or two weeks away? Let alone one or two days?

Willing ourselves to adopt a more positive, self-affirming, performance-enhancing headspace takes some effort. So it can be easier to just let our thoughts naturally turn to the dark side in the days, hours, or minutes before a performance.

But a 2017 study (Westgate et al., 2017) identified a simple strategy that can make it easier to stay in a better headspace when we need it most. And all you need is your phone or a 3x5 notecard.

Get all the nerdy details here:
How to Stay in a More Positive Headspace Before Performances

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If you ever watched the show Friends, you might remember the episode where Phoebe stayed on hold for two days with her phone company, because every time she was about to hang up, the voice on the other end would tell her "you're the next caller" and she didn't want to give up right before she might finally get to speak to a live representative.

Have you ever had a similar sort of day in the practice room? Where you keep working on the same thing over and over again, without much to show for your efforts, but can't bring yourself to move on because of a hope that things might finally start to click if you just keep at it a tiny bit longer?

Turns out that taking a particular kind of break might be just what you need to spark new ideas and find more effective solutions to that passage. Learn why, and how to use a "creative pause" to get unstuck and solve that tricky passage that has you stumped.

Get Unstuck in the Practice Room With a “Creative Pause”

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